Pentax DA 35mm F2.4 vs 40mm XS vs 40mm Limited
Image Quality: Vignetting
For this test, we placed the test camera on a tripod pointed at a blank wall. We shot each lens at f/2.4 or 2.8 through f/8. We tested the DA 40 Limited with the hood both on and off, to see if the narrow opening affected the lens's vignetting characteristics.
- Manual focus
- ISO 80
- JPEG (highest quality)
- White balance set to Auto
- Auto-exposure; Multi-segment / Evaluative metering
- Image mode set to camera default ("Bright")
- Dynamic range extension off; In-camera lens corrections off
- Camera on tripod, 2-second self-timer; SR off
Conclusions
All three lenses display somewhat heavy vignetting wide open, with the DA 35mm f/2.4 predictably showing darker corners at f/2.4 than the 40s do at f/2.8. However, by f/2.8 it has leapt ahead of the 40s, and it comfortably maintans that advantage through f/8. The corners of the 40mm lenses brighten noticeably by f/4, but even at f/8 they still haven't fully caught up to the center of the frame. The DA 35mm, on the other hand, boasts nearly uniform brightness at this point.
To answer the question posed at the top of the page, we are pleased to report that the hood seems to have little effect on the vignetting characteristics of the DA 40mm f/2.8 Limited.
